Means for securing roofing-slates.



L. GIANNELLI.

MEANS FOR SECURING ROOFING SLATBS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. s. 1914.

1. 1 1 4 8 Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

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LORENZO GIANNELLI, or crmnnnsrowiv, MASSACHUSETTS?) Mniuvs FOR SECURING BOOFING-SLATES. I

Specification of Letters faten't'.

Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

Application filed March 6, 1914. Serial No. 823,007.

To all whom it may concern V Be it known that I, LORENZO GIANNELLI, a subject of the King of Italy, residing at Charlestown, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Means for Securing Roofing-Slates, of which the following de scription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

The present invention relates to holding means for roofing slates or the like and aims to provide novel means which will securely hold the slates in place and prevent entrance of moisture into the openings between the slates and also securely protect the nail holes of each slate.

It has been customary to select the'location of the nail holes so that they will be covered by the adjacent end of an overlapping slate to prevent atmospheric action, or entrance of moisture. It is commonly known that corrosion" of the nail causes a rotting effect on the slate surrounding the nail hole, thus rendering the slateunfit for By the above mentioned location of the nail hole the exposed field of each slate is narrowed since the greater portion of each slate has to serve as means to cover the opening between two adjacent slates and the nail hole.

In accordance with the present invention these disadvantages are obviated by providing holding means constructed to hold in place one or more slates by a nail, the same means supporting also the slate next above, that is the slate overlapping the one which is held in position by said nail, and covering the opening between two adjacent slates and securely pressing them down.

Another advantage of the new arrangement consists in the fact that the holding means project to such an extent above the slates or shingles that they will provide an effective snow catch preventing accumulated snow from sliding down too freely.

The subject matter of the invention is shown in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, but it is obvious that the invention is by no means limited to the construction shown.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the new holding device. Fig. 2 is a detail showing a nail. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the nail head. Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the manner in which the slates are held in place.

The new holding means consists of a lead covered nail. conical shape and hollow to provide a space between theupper end of-the shank 4 ofthe nail and. the head surrounding said shank. This nail is adapted to cooperatewith a cap or coverzplate. This capcomprises a flat plate 6, the dimensions of which are so selected that it will extend to a considerable The head 2 of the nail is of I area under a slate and cover the opening between two adjacent slates. The plate is pro- Vided with a. hole 8 permitting thepassage of the shank of the nail, and with an ungulous member 10. The member 10 may be inte gral, with the plate 6 or'securely fastened thereto. The arrangement is such thatthe shortsideof the ungula will face the top of the roof, while the long side will lie opposite in order to deflect water, snow or ice fromthe nail hole. It may be seen that the nail-hole of the slate itself is completely.

covered by the member 10 and by the plate 6. i

It is therefore unnecessary to place the" nail hole in such a portion of the slate that it has to'be coveredby another'slate. he nail is driven through the lowest slate in such a mannerjthat the plate 6 will partly cover the two slates 14E and'16, overlapping the lowest slate l8 and will extend under the slate 20 of the next higher row. The member 10 will therefore hold securelyiin place the slate 18, press the slates 14: and 16 down firmly and support the slate 20, the lower end of which bears against the short side of the ungulous body. Since the present im-' provement makes it unnecessary to extendthe lowest slate so far under the slate QO'that the nail hole will be covered by the latter, it is obvious that the exposed field of each slate can be considerably enlarged.v

A roof constructed with the use of the new device will ofi'er' considerable advantage. The heads of the nails will project above the slates and if for any reason one slatebecomes unfit for use, the particular slate can be taken out and replaced without materially disturbing the position of the other slates. This was impossible in the known way of building up roofs where the nail holes are covered by an overlapping slate. The nail itself will be better protected against atmospheric destruction than the ordinary galvanized nail as the galvanizing covering is easily and frequently broken.

Another important advantage of the present improvement Consists inthe manner in which the roof can be built up. After the first row of slates has been fastened in place the roofer will insert the new holding means into the nail holes of the lowest row. The nails will then determine the position of the next row of slates and will support each slate before it is secured to the sheathing. It will therefore be unnecessary to indicate the location of the next higher row of slates by chalk lines as it has been customary to do.

The cap consists preferably of rust proof or non-corrosive material which will insure the longest possible life to a roof so. constructed.

The lead head of the nail driven in place will embrace the upper end of the member 10 tightly, thus closing the entrance to the nail hole completely.

.Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. The combination with a roof comprising overlapping slates, of a plate having a nail hole opposite the nail space between the slates and overlapping the adjacent sides of two slates of the same row of slates, a hollow member surrounding said hole and pr-0- j ecting upwardly from said plate and forming a stop for the slate'which overlaps the said adjacent slate sides, and a nail eXtending through the hollow member and through a slate in the next lower row 'of'slates, said nail having a cap for closing the upper end of said member.

2. In a roof, the combination of a plurality of slates, a nail having a conical head and a cavity between the head and the upper end of the shank of the nail, and a cap plate adapted to overlap the adjacent sides of twoslates in the same row and to extend. beneath a slate 1n the next higher row, said plate having an ungulous member the upper end of which fits closely into said cavity of the nail to produce a tight joint after the nail has been driven into place.

3. A fastening for slates comprising a flat plate adapted to overlap the adjacent sides'of two slates in the same row and extending beneath a slate in the next higher row, said plate having a hollow ungulous projection, and a nail adapted to be driven through said projection and said plate, and through the slate in the next lower row, said nail having a head for covering the opening in the upper end of the hollow ungulous member.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LORENZO GIANNE LLI.

Witnesses WALTER BRANDT, FRANK LEVERONI.

Copies of this patent may-be obtained for five cents -each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

